I'm a carnivore who ate vegan for a week, and it changed the way I think about my normal diet

Sleep isn’t always my friend (although the snooze button sure is). I was able to fall asleep more easily than usual and log eight solid hours of z’s every night.

I tend to have a lot of energy but noticed a definite uptick during my workouts this week. I felt like I got more out my classes and was able to go harder. There were even a few days where I worked out and went for a run. That’s borderline athletic!

I’ve had a finicky stomach for years, and let’s just say things were more normal this week than they’ve been in a very long time. Never underestimate the power of regularity.

My friends could not stop commenting on how good my skin looked. I admit, it’s been pretty flawless since I started this experiment. I even managed to bypass my monthly hormonal breakout.

I stuck to my normal exercise regimen and lost three pounds while eating vegan. I’m not one to diet — if I lose weight, it happens — so this was an unexpected result.

The biggest surprise was that I enjoyed the dietary experiment. I didn’t crave meat, nor did I feel like my food choices were “limited.”

If anything, I was trying a variety of ingredients in new ways, and that appealed to the part of me that loves to cook. Who knew there are some pretty convincing versions of vegan cheese?

It’s unlikely that I’m going to adopt a total vegan lifestyle, although I’m now eating at least 50% plant-based meals.

Physically, I feel amazing. I’m making more conscious food choices. There were zero negatives to going vegan for a week. And looking at the bigger picture, scaling back on meat consumption can only do good things for our planet. It’s a win-win situation.